Journey guitarist/band leader Neal Schon and longtime keyboardist Jonathan Cain appear to be going through a difficult time just months after they were inducted together into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
While the band is on the road with Asia, Schon appeared to criticize Cain in a recent Instagram post, expressing that discord within Journey is holding back the band.
“I want to be elevated by whom I play with, not feel like I’ve got cement shoes,” Schon wrote Sunday. “If anyone is unhappy they are not running my band, then they should leave. God has bigger plans.”
Schon later clarified, responding to a question in the comments, that he was indeed referring to Cain. He intimated that Cain's religious views and politics are becoming an issue.
Apparently Schon's stance is that Journey should be an apolitical entity and should not mix "religion and politics."
The guitarist writes that it has "been an issue with myself, Mr. Cain and now his wife since he married."
Ultimate Classic Rock points out that Cain's wife, Paula White-Cain, is the minister who delivered the invocation at Donald Trump's inauguration. Cain's last solo album, What God Wants to Hear, is strongly rooted in his Christian faith.
Schon continued: "I've had to fight this whole time to protect the [brand] I built with Steve Perry way before Gregg [Rolie] and I picked Cain to replace himself [sic] when he wanted to retire from the road..."
He added that bassist Ross Valory "is no help" when it comes to defending what he sees as Journey's brand.
Cain shared a quote via Twitter which appeared to address the matter.